College Soccer Player Wins Lawsuit Against Mitsubishi; Jury Awards $7 Million in Crash That Injured Chefik Simo, Killed Teammate

DALLAS, March 16 -- A federal court jury in South Carolina has found Mitsubishi Motors liable in the 2002 crash that injured college soccer player Chefik Simo, and awarded him $7 million.

The verdict in the case follows an eight-day trial in the U.S. District Court in Greenville, S.C.

"This is an important verdict for Chefik and his family," says Frank Branson of The Law Offices of Frank L. Branson in Dallas, who represented Mr. Simo. "And it's important not just for him, but also for everyone who might be driving, or be a passenger in, a Mitsubishi Montero Sport."

In ruling in Mr. Simo's favor, the jury found the Mitsubishi Montero Sport defective in its stability. Jurors also agreed with the plaintiff's argument the vehicle was unreasonably dangerous, and found the company had been negligent in failing to properly test the vehicle.

Mr. Simo, a 21-year-old junior at the University of Virginia, was one of four people riding in a Mitsubishi Montero Sport that crashed on Interstate 85 in Spartanburg County, S.C. on October 11, 2002. The accident killed the driver, soccer star Gray Griffin, and injured two other players. All four were then members of the Furman University Paladins team.

A Parade All-American from Frisco, Texas, Mr. Simo suffered a long list of injuries: a life-threatening stomach puncture wound, a broken pelvic bone, a fractured shoulder blade, a separated shoulder, a severely dislocated knee, nerve damage in his left foot and ankle, and scrapes to his face.

Despite the damage to his body, Mr. Simo insisted he would once again play the game he loves. As a midfielder for the University of Virginia Cavaliers soccer team, he did just that, playing in 10 of the team's 2004 games. Unfortunately, Mr. Simo was forced to discontinue his comeback, as his doctors feared he might further aggravate his injuries.

Attorneys Ken Anthony of the Anthony Law Firm in Spartanburg, S.C., and Debbie Branson and J. Gregory Marks of The Law Offices of Frank L. Branson, assisted in representing Mr. Simo.

Frank and Debbie Branson have spent 30 years helping families resolve catastrophic injury cases. More information about their firm is available at http://www.flbranson.com/ .

For more information on the case involving Chefik Simo, please contact Mark Annick at 800-559-4534, pager 214-967-2299, or mark@legalpr.com .